RUGBY legend Scott Hastings last night blamed Scott Johnson’s team selection for the weekend thrashing at the hands of England.

The former Scotland and British Lions centre believes the national coach was hoping for a “knee-jerk reaction” with his starting XV for the Six Nations clash at Murrayfield – but says he only succeeded in shattering the confidence of the group.

Hastings also labelled the Calcutta Cup loss “embarrassing” and claimed the Auld Enemy’s 20-0 victory could easily have been twice that.

Aussie Johnson axed captain Kelly Brown, with the 31-year-old replaced in the back row by uncapped Chris Fusaro.

He also cut Richie Gray, Scotland’s only British Lion to play a test match in the summer tour of 2013, from the bench.

The selection didn’t go down well with Scotland favourite Hastings, who earned 64 caps and travelled on the 1989 and 1993 British Lions’ tours.

He said: “There needs to be questions answered regarding Johnson’s team selection, particularly his decision to drop his captain the week before.

He also chopped Richie Gray from the bench – one of Scotland’s shining lights in the line-out.

“The players did not respond accordingly to those changes.

“Maybe Johnson was looking for a knee-jerk reaction – well he certainly didn’t get that. He has perhaps harmed the confidence within the team.

“When I look at the structure that Scotland are trying to play it looks as though they are training on the back pitches at Murrayfield and then coming out into the stadium with no energy within the team.

“It was an embarrassing performance. It wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t up to the standards that the players set themselves.

Richie Gray was dropped for England game (Image: Getty/David Rogers)

“The Murrayfield crowd had absolutely nothing to shout about from their team. It was really poor fare, to be frank. England could have had 40 without reply, quite easily.”

Hastings is also adamant that Glasgow Warriors’ Stuart Hogg, one of the few players to emerge from Saturday’s humiliation with a semblance of credit at full-back, needs to play at fly-half and be at the heart of the side.

He said: “Stuart was the one dynamic game-breaker that Scotland have – I would build a team around him at fly-half.

“He has a great boot on him and plays front-foot rugby.”

Meanwhile, Mikey Blair last night urged Johnson to bank on the Gray boys for the wooden spoon showdown with Italy.

The Newcastle Falcons ace, who quit the Test scene two years ago, said: “There will be much deliberation about the selection for the Italy match.

“And a pack containing Richie and Jonny Gray, with Johnnie Beattie, Dave Denton and Ross Rennie would be really exciting.

Of course there are some issues with these guys all playing together and I’m taking nothing away from the boys who have been playing in those positions.

“I just want to try to point out that Scotland do have players at their disposal who can play a game based on power, finesse, offloading and tempo.

“Games can no longer be won with passion and desire alone and I believe, like all Scotland teams, that these emotions are there.

“Although I believe these two aspects are absolutely vital to a team’s success I also think that you can’t have them in isolation.

“Without accuracy of skill execution and game understanding they are inconsequential.”